The England and South African A teams will participate in reciprocal tours over the next three years. England Lions are pencilled in for a tour of South Africa in January 2015 which includes two four-day matches and five one-dayers, and will subsequently host their opponents in 2017.

"It continues our policy of enabling our second best team to test itself against some of the strongest cricket playing countries in the world," said Corrie van Zyl, CSA general manager. "What is particularly important is that our A side will now tour England in 2017 at the same time as our senior squad is in that country." South Africa are scheduled to play four Tests, five ODIs and a T20 between July and September. "England is always an out-of-season tour for us and it will help a lot to know that our back-up players are match-fit in case of need."

Both England Lions and South Africa A have played their respective opponents' senior squads on previous tours and stand equal with one win and one loss across four limited-overs matches since 2008.

ECB performance director David Parsons said, "The Lions tour to South Africa will be an excellent opportunity to take on some very tough opposition in a challenging environment."

I have not seen a game at Kimberley and was planning a trip to SA for Jan / Feb 15, may have to fly in for this one.
Should be 2 good evenly matched sides on show. Too bad the Paarl game is so early in the schedule, that is a truly beautiful ground that I also have yet to visit.

The likes of Taylor, Stokes, Ballance, Jordan and Robson will have progressed into the full team.

android_user
on April 16, 2014, 18:02 GMT

I'm excited already at the prospect.

Flash_hard27
on April 17, 2014, 7:43 GMT

I have not seen a game at Kimberley and was planning a trip to SA for Jan / Feb 15, may have to fly in for this one.
Should be 2 good evenly matched sides on show. Too bad the Paarl game is so early in the schedule, that is a truly beautiful ground that I also have yet to visit.

The likes of Taylor, Stokes, Ballance, Jordan and Robson will have progressed into the full team.

Flash_hard27
on April 17, 2014, 7:43 GMT

I have not seen a game at Kimberley and was planning a trip to SA for Jan / Feb 15, may have to fly in for this one.
Should be 2 good evenly matched sides on show. Too bad the Paarl game is so early in the schedule, that is a truly beautiful ground that I also have yet to visit.